Tips From Toby: Sealing cracks can save you money

KANSAS CITY - Hi, I'm Toby Tobin. These expansion cracks that our homes get during the summer time can be a host to many problems. We're going to show you how to seal them up.

The winter's expansion and Summer's Contraction of the wood on our homes leads to open joints like this. These joints are a doorway to a host of problems and uninvited guests.

First of all it will keep out the moisture and it will also keep out the air. The air is one of the main reasons you get drafts in the winter time - the air gets in the house and penetrates it and you especially don't want any water to get in there because that can create a mold issue and give you an air quality problem. It will keep the bugs out too.

Use a high quality outdoor caulk. Use clear sealant if you are not painting or a tinted sealant if you plan on painting. Be sure you remove any old caulk like you see here with a painters 5-in-1 tool like you see here and then you are ready to seal.

You run a bead along the edge filling the gap and run your finger along the top of it to get the excess placed into the groove. Carry a little rag with you and then you are on to the next part.

Sealing up your home with this technique is a very inexpensive and cannot only save you huge bucks on your energy bill, but also helps you avoid costly damage to your home for years to come.

Now that we have showed you how to seal your house next week we're going to show you the ins and outs of outdoor painting

I'm Toby Tobin. Have a great week!